


Graduation

by GentleFisherman



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Adult Life, F/M, Jou is a good boy, Light Angst, Multi Chapter, Original Cast, Post-Canon, Swearing, hints of Anzu/Mai and Yuugi/Mai, mention of lemon, pov switching, the squad are back boys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-23 11:35:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18151334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GentleFisherman/pseuds/GentleFisherman
Summary: Graduation feels like a million years ago to Yugi, the ever busy King of Games, and Anzu, who juggles college with her part-time jobs. In fact, the two haven't spoken in almost a year- so what happened? How did the almost-lovers in high school become total strangers in adulthood? And is there any way, with the help of their old gang, that the two can ever reconnect?





	1. Chapter 1

Graduation felt like a million years ago. Anzu ran a finger along the side of her certificate, which looked somewhat underwhelming in it's simple frame, and watched a thin layer of dust collected on her fingertip. With a huff, she swiped it clean against the scratchy fabric of her sweater; it was a pretty, pastel fit that a distant cousin or someone had offered as a commemorative gift for her getting into college. College. Starting there had only catapaulted her further from the sunny, lazy days of duelling her friends and awkward navy uniforms.

She took a moment to muse over how well the old group had kept in touch, over the years. She and Honda had kept in touch somewhat, as well as Mai- in fact, their squabbles in youth had given way to a pretty affectionate mature friendship. As far as Ryuuji went; to be honest, she never particularly felt comfortable around him anyway, and was quite happy to wave goodbye for the last time at graduation. Jonouchi was busy with a full time job, but they still messaged back and forth. But as far as Yugi went... she felt a pang in her heart every time he crossed her mind. They'd held hands through so much, constantly reinforcing and encouraging each other through the strangest situations, but nowadays he seemed too busy to even text. Her hands trailed along with these thoughts, and she flipped open her phone. When was the last time she'd texted?

3:56pm. 4th April- over a month ago. "Hey".

Ouch. Anzu felt a little jilted, to be honest. Sure, Yugi had the life of an almost-celebrity to uphold, what with his King of Games title and incredible legacy. And when he wasn't off making a name for himself in some random European country, he was usually at home trying to manage his grandfather's business- for as strong in will as Sugoroku was, his mind couldn't help but wobble a little as the years went on. But still. A text took two minutes at most- and she found it hard to believe that he never had even two minutes free.  
But then, maybe she hadn't helped things either. Most of the time, when she had the opportunity to call (which was rare, what with her upholding an evening job and having classes throughout the day), she was too worried about interrupting some important meeting or event; his working hours seemed to stretch on forever, after all. But if she texted to ask if she could call first, he never responded, aside from offering a curt apology maybe a week later. They had gone from being close to a couple in high school, to barely knowing each other as adults. Anzu was certainly busy juggling her responsibilities, but she always found the time to at least text- to let him know that she still thought of him. Texting took two minutes. Texting was not hard. 

If she didn't text, she was afraid that he might forget her completely. 

 

The brunette sighed, and flopped onto her back, cushioned (although not very well) by her threadbare living room carpet. How she yearned to just go back in time, and sit with her friends on the roof of their high school, sharing snacks and stories and laughter. It almost made her want to cry.  
But, she didn't have time to cry. She had work to get on with, and resolved to get dressed and get on with it. If Anzu was good at anything, it was powering through. 

 

\---------

 

Yugi felt as though he barely had a life of his own anymore. From the second he woke up, each of his arms were metaphorically tugged in differentt directions, and each time one let go, another picked up and continued pulling until he felt his arm would pop out of its socket. Maybe it was entitled of him to whinge; after all, playing card games professionally was something a lot of little boys and girls probably dreamed of. And being the King of Games was another title that many strived towards; but it wasn't all compliments and cash prizes. It was meetings, discussions, fan meets, interviews, hosting, judging, constant challenges and my God- so much travelling. Yugi wondered sometimes if he spent more time flying than he did walking nowadays. The thought made his head spin. 

There was grandpa, too, who Yugi owed almost his whole duelling career too. There were no words to express how grateful he was to Sugoroku for shaping the rest of his life with his hand-me-down Magician deck all those years ago, and giving him a million and one incredible stories to carry forever with the gift of the millenium puzzle. Even without the presence of Atem, Duel Monsters had blessed him with so many wonderful adventures with his friends. And it all tied back to a grandfather giving his weedy grandson a set of playing cards, all those years ago. All those lifetimes ago. 

Thinking back to his younger years sometimes made him waver a little, amongst all of his work. It was sad to think back on how strong and capable his grandfather used to be, both in mind and spirit- when nowadays, though he had all the will in the world, Sugoroku just couldn't help but let things slip his mind more often than he liked to acknowledge.  
So, because Yugi owed his grandfather so much, and cared for him so dearly, he would spend his free time straightening up the books and scheduling orders for his most beloved childhood hangout spot. It was the least he could do, for a man who had given him his life. And, even if just a little, it kept alive a warm glimmer of memory; of those precious times shared with his high school group all those years ago. Sometimes whilst he was stocking the shelves, he could see Jonouchi squinting at cards as his grandfather taught him the game. He saw Honda peering over his shoulder. And in his favourite memories, he saw a girl that he rarely let himself remember- her ghost perched on the counter, legs dangled, smiling at him waemly. He only let this thought linger for a second, between sorting stock and minding the shop. It made him ache with nostalgia.  
But Yugi knew that if he let his thoughts be consumed by her, he'd never be able to continue his career. 

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the demanding trill of his ringtone. With a groan, he shambled his phone out of its pocket, expecting it to be some agent or press conference or duelling challenge. But for once, the name on the screen nearly gave him a heart attack. It was one he hadn't seen in an awfully long time. 

Anzu.

 

\----------

 

The next day, to shake herself out of nostalgic angst, she resolved to host a party in her tiny apartment.  
As soon as she walked through the college gates, she saw Mai's pretty blonde curls weaving through the crowd, and called out to her. The woman turned back, and she yelled out to her excitedly.  
"Anzu!" She laughed, heading back to catch up with the girl jogging up to her, "You're so loud this early in the morning."  
"Sorry; this weekend dragged like hell." The respondent smiled sheepishly; maybe she was a little desperate for human interaction after a weekend of solid working.  
"So? Did you call my name for any reason, or just thrilled to see me?" The refined drawl of Mai's voice lengthened into a teasing note, and one that reminded Anzu of their youth spent duelling and taunting one another.  
"I did." And with a twinkle in her blue eyes, Anzu announced, "I'm having a party."

Mai was pretty taken aback. Her friend was usually such a study bug, and when she wasn't studying she was whisked away with work; when on earth would she have time to host a party? And- where? 

"I only want to host a few people," Anzu continued hurriedly, "since my apartment is so small. But I'm going to take the weekend off work and just enjoy myself, you know? I haven't let loose in such a long time, and I want to see all my friends again." At this admission, Mai's rouged lips softened into a sympathetic smile. She knew exactly which friend Anzu was dying to see.  
"That sounds like a great idea, honey. This weekend, right? I'll be sure to keep it on my calendar. And I'll help you find the booze and the people, too, naturally." She added with a wink that made her friends heart swell with excitement. This was really happening. Her first opportunity to enjoy herself in what felt like forever. And maybe... well, maybe some of her old friends would show, too.


	2. Operation: Yugi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi may or may not answer his phone. Mai and Anzu bicker over coffee preferences. Character building ensues.

Yugi had to wait for his heart to settle before answering. This was the first time in maybe a year that he'd actually had the time to answer one of Anzu's calls; not that she bothered to call him all that much anymore. There was so much that he wanted to talk to her about. He was desperate to lean against that store counter again and look up at her, swinging her legs and laughing at some dumb remark he'd made.  
He'd do anything to have her there, to hear her voice, to smell her perfume, and yet... he faltered. There was a grumbling nervousness in the bottom of his stomach, that was more than just his fear of facing to her again. Yugi was genuinely afraid that he'd never be able to balance his career if Anzu was on his mind, like she always was in their youth. He'd never dare call her a distraction, but... sometimes he wondered if leaving her on hold was a kindness. If he did pick up, and had to admit to any of that out loud, she'd be heartbroken. 

 

For some reason, he hit the green button anyway.

 

"Yugi Mutou!“ He nearly collapsed on the spot when Mai's bolshy voice rang out through the reciever. All of that adrenaline, and the whole inner monologue- for nothing. Mai, for her lack of tact, knew straight away why she was greeted with silence, and burst into laughter.  
"Shaken, kid? I'm pretty taken aback myself. Anzu says you've never once picked up her calls."  
"That's not-" Yugi stammered out in a weak attempt to defend himself, but Mai's words cut him off.  
"I know, King of Games, you're busy. No need to defend yourself. But..." he could picture her sly grin as if it had appeared before him, "You did hurt her. And I think you ought to make up for it."  
"Okay..." Yugi sighed, knowing straight away that whatever plan she had thought up- the answer would have to be no. He was only back home for another week before he had to fly out to Russia to host a KaibaCorp sponsored tournament, which would stick him out there for a good month or so. There was no way to plan around it. "Go on."  
"From what I've assumed, Game Master Yugi, you've got another week left in Japan before Kaiba snatches you up for that new tournament in... uh, wherever. But you're in luck. Our dearest Anzu is hosting a get together, and she told me that she was hoping to catch up with some old friends. I think we both know what that means, right?"

 

Yugi couldn't respond for a few moments. Mai had this amazing talent of rendering men speechless not only with her stylish dress, but also with her incredible skills of deduction. She might well be the most perceptive friend that Yugi had ever known. Her speedy and precise choice of dialogue was unmatched, for sure.  
"I can't see her." The sensible choice would have been to say that he was minding his grandfather's shop all weekend, which would deflect any possible counter arguments. But some part of him, however small, knew that he could easily schedule in another employee; he was just afraid. Maybe Mai was the person who could cheer him on? 

 

Ah, right. He forgot how sarcastic she could be.

 

....

 

"Well?" Anzu looked up at Mai expectantly as she took her phone back.  
"Yeah yeah, they're fine with me paying my rent a little late so long as I can prove to them that my pay didn't come til Friday. I'll just mail off my wageslip or statement or something and it'll all be good."  
"Oh, thank God." Anzu visibly loosened, and pulled her legs up to her chest in a comfortable pose. Now hunched, she leaned her face onto her knees and glowered at her friend a little. "I thought you might be kicked out. You really shouldn't leave it this late to ask, Mai; if you're out of phone credit please just come over."  
"I know, hun, I'm sorry." Mai reclined back in her seat and took a sip of her coffee. Then nearly spat it out. "Oh, God, wrong drink! How you stomach this milky crap is beyond me." She grumbled, choking it down only because spitting it would make a mess of her jacket.  
"Just because you like bland, black coffee," Anzu plucked the cup from her hand and took a sip of the sweetened vanilla latte, "doesn't mean everyone has to be so boring."  
Mai nearly pinched her ribs. Seeing her spit-take a mouthful of latte would be priceless, but Anzu might never have forgiven her.

 

Unfortunately, she never got the opportunity to test her luck. Before she even had a chance to respond, in fact, her brunette companion had checked her phone, squeaked in fear, and was hurriedly cramming everything into her bag.   
"I forgot that I had an interview! Crap, I'll have to call a cab; I'm so late. Text me later about party stuff, okay?" She rambled, slinging her shoulderbag on (and nearly whacking Mai over the head with it).  
"Interview?" Mai was bewildered, but felt somewhat panicked by her friends sudden urgency. "What for?"  
"I need another job, Mai." She took a moment to sigh. "This café job gives me nothing. Enough for rent, maybe, but I can only call my dad so many times for an extra 20, you know? I'll talk to you about it later." And with those parting words, Anzu snatched up her coffee and ran out the door.

"Poor girl." Mai sighed, leaning her head into her knuckles as she watched her go. "Works her ass off." And can't even get a text back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know if I made it clear enough so I'll explain it all here. Mai borrowed Anzu's phone lying about having to call her landlord, and called Yuugi instead. I can imagine that going backwards and forwards in time might be a little confusing, so I'm sorry for that.
> 
> I have a lot of studying to do so might not post for a few days, but again, I really hope (if anyone got to chapter 2) that you enjoyed it.


	3. Chapter 3

Saturday rolled around quickly enough, and two boys shambled up to the address Mai had given them after an hour or so wandering around the neighbourhood. Domino city was a pretty straightforward place to navigate, compared to the fairly distant town that the girls were studying in. But they weren't panicking about being latw; that would make their appearance even more of a surprise. That's right: two of Anzu's favourite people in the world, and the ones Mai had insisted she'd be over the moon to see...   
Jonouchi and Honda. 

Or, to rephrase; a tipsy Jonouchi and a drunk Honda. 

"Dude," Jou laughed as he tried to steady his pal, "you can't show up this drunk."  
"And why not?“ Between his swaying and stumbling, Honda actually managed to ask it quite smugly.   
"It's the first time we've seen Anzu since New Years; we gotta be proper at least when we come to the door."  
"Anzu is fun! She'll find it funny." Honda argued in a whiny tone; one that Jou was all too familiar with after many nights of drinking together. Aside from Anzu and Mai, the two have them had probably stayed the closest after graduating; maybe even growing closer after Jounouchi had to leave his family home a little too early and Honda was the one to take him in. But that was a story for another, more sober time. 

Of course he'd found his own place now, after sweating his ass off in a rotten desk job for a year, but the two never lost that sense of comfort. The sense that one could head over to the other's place and completely let loose. So they did, very often. Furthermore: they drank together, just as often.

Which is how they ended up where they were. Varying degrees of smashed, a little lost, and regretting their "pre-drinks" (four tequila shots, each,) very much.  
But they made it in the end, and by some miracle Honda was even standing a little more upright when they did. Maybe the fresh air had done him good! 

Turns out that after an hour, everyone was equally as tipsy as them; including Mai, who welcomed them inside.  
"Holy shit, you two!" She cried, in a tone that was way too affectionate to be sober Mai. She then threw her arms around them- again, a move far too cuddly for regular Mai. Honda matched her energy perfectly, but Joey recieved her hug a little awkwardly- he didn't want to breach any boundaries, after all.   
"The boys!" Honda hollered, holding up two bottles of Absolut like hunting trophies as he paraded into the building. Jou followed behind him. He wasn't quite parading, but still maintained his regular chill with a small crate of beer tucked under his arm.  
"Wait right there. Let me find Anzu." Mai squeezed both of their arms, squealed in delight and bounded off into the crowd.

It took a minute or two of entertaining conversation and sidestepping drink puddles (Lord knows that Mai was not about to lose her heels to a canned beer spillage), but the girls eventually reunited. Anzu was stood in the corner of the living room, chatting animatedly with some classmates about their plans after college ended. With remarkable smoothness, she was swept away with a familiar chirp of "One sec, ladies!" and her mind instantly flew to Yugi.

Mai, being Mai, knew this by the hopeful look in her eyes.  
"It's not him." Anzu slacked a little, before straightening herself up and forcing a smile.  
"I know." Of course it wasn't. If he even read her text, it would be a miracle. She had only half-assedly told him the details anyway; she thought it might make it less disappointing when he didn't show. Turns out she was still plenty disappointed, and the drink was not helping.  
"But..." Mai continued in a sincere effort to perk her friend up, "some other old friends are here. Ones you've been missing just as much."

Mission success. Anzu's eyes lit up and she grabbed her friend's hand, demanding to be led to them. She had missed Jou's breezy chats and Honda's quiet support so much; the last time she'd seen them, in fact, was at Mai's new year party. At that point, from what she could remember, Jou's home life had gone downhill and he'd been forced to move in with Honda. She sincerely hoped that things were better for them both, now.   
"You two better not have gone anywhere!" Mai shouted as she pulled her quieter counterpart to the doorway. "Assholes. I swear, men never have any attention span." She grumbled when she found the hall mostly empty, aside from a group of girls rushing to the bathroom. She spun back around to Anzu with a warm smile. "Hang tight, hun. I'll find them."

And at the same moment that Mai disappeared into the swarm of bodies, Anzu heard the door click. 

... 

 

Yugi was left in stunned silence after he'd hung up the phone. He never necessarily said no, but Mai's brutal comments had definitely struck a nerve- though not in the way that he'd hoped. 

She was right, though. Mai often was. Anzu was a once-in-a-lifetime friend; partially because they had met so young, but mostly because of the way that she so faithfully kept in contact after practically being ghosted for 12 months. Any other friend would have given up a long time ago, Mai said. 

"But not Anzu. Because Anzu loves you more than you could imagine."

It wasn't an indirect love confession; that much he could figure out. In fact, it was probably nothing to do with romantic love. There was a reason why Anzu always kept Shining Friendship in her deck; it sounded stupid, but Yugi knew it was because she put immense value and effort into the people she cared about. She had never given up on him; not in his sad times, not when they fought, and not even now, when he ignored her.   
Mai's words made him feel like a piece of shit, honestly. But in another way it was exactly the kick he needed. 

Finding someone to mind the store was easy; Yugi just called his dad to ask for cover on Saturday afternoon, and got eager affirmation from the now retired man.   
If her college was any closer, he probably could have minded the store all day and just headed out in the evening. But for one, it was about a 40 minute drive away. And more importantly, he needed the afternoon to spruce up.   
Which ended up being his first hiccup. He had no idea what sort of party it was. Well, he wasn't stupid- he could guess what the average college party looked like. But what if it had a theme, and Mai had let that particular detail slip? She was absolutely mad enough at him and protective enough of Anzu to do that.   
No, Yugi shook his head firmly. No matter how mad Mai was, she wouldn't do anything to make this meeting any more awkward than it had to be. So he settled for a purple button-up, blue jeans and a couple spritz of aftershave. Geez, he thought to himself; getting ready is pretty simple for a dude. 

Second issue: gifts? He felt almost rude, showing up to an old friend's house without even a little gesture. It was a college party, after all; what did people usually bring to those? Drugs? He nearly chuckled at the idea of Anzu offering him a line, but stopped short when it dawned on him that she may well have slipped into those sorts of habits. Oh God. What if in the year since he'd seen her, she'd stopped eating and gained a speed addiction or something? What if she was on the verge of dropping out, and drank to dull the pain of being so harshly ignored? What if, by ghosting her, he'd inadvertently ruined her life? 

No, no, no, no. Mai didn't give any indication that she was struggling over the phone; apart from being upset, of course. And the way she texted hadn't changed over the year since they'd fallen out of touch- in fact, she regularly told him that she was doing great in college. It could all be a lie, but he supposed he'd just have to trust her. Anzu was an emotional girl at times, but she wasn't reckless. And no boy or friend could ever stop her from achieving her dream. 

Alcohol. Alcohol would be a good gift.   
He thumbed through his liquor cabinet for something that wasn't overly extravagant, for fear that it might make him seem snobbish to her friends. He settled on a simple bottle of whiskey, and loaded himself into a sleek little four-wheel drive. Time to go. Time to do this. Time to see Anzu.

(He would, however, be making his debut over an hour late- having spent more time panicking than actually getting ready). 

...

Upon hearing the latch click, Anzu frowned and stepped away from her post for a second. Mai had a habit of leaving doors unlocked when drunk, and it had led to some awkward encounters with a couple uninvited guests at New Years.  
In all her thinking, she swung upon the door and gestured whoever was waiting in, not really clocking who it was. They entered, whoever they were, and she flicked the lock up properly. Only then did she bother to check who had entered her house, and was greeted by...

... Yugi. 

Yugi Mutou.

In jeans and a button up, looking exactly as he did in high school, with a bottle of whiskey in his hand.

... Yugi was in her house right now. She had no idea what was happening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated in part to angiembabe for helping me out with some constructive criticism. I haven't written for such a long time so I'm a little rusty, but this story is actually bringing my confidence back a lot. Thank you for the help. 
> 
> And thank you to everyone who left kudos; it's really encouraging and a very sweet thing to do. I hope this chapter cleared things up a little, and I hope to see everyone next time!


	4. Waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yugi and Anzu do their best to communicate. Mai and Jou look out for their dear friends. And my God, Honda is so drunk.

The two of them were sat on a sofa, maybe an arm's length apart. Yugi was fiddling with his buttons. Anzu was drumming her fingertips on the armrest. And though the party itself was a cacophony of music and laughter, what stretched between them was pure, suffocating silence.  
"How is... how is college?" It was Yugi, eventually, who made the first effort to break the tension.  
"Good. Another year after this, and then I guess I'll start applying for studios and stuff. I might even do Broadway." With the line that he threw her, Anzu was able to fire out a fair few lines of dialogue. Time to toss it back. "You?"  
"Work's pretty crazy. I hardly have time for anything, between the press and the duels and everything else." Oh no. It was fizzling out.  
"Yeah, I noticed." The line was sinking.  
"Yeah."

...cue another five thousand years of soul crushing silence.

Anzu's head was spinning, and the drink she was periodically sipping on for something to do wasn't helping one bit. She realised a couple minutes in that Yugi had never even seen her apartment. Now wasn't the best time to give a house tour, but if he stayed the night, then maybe...  
She jolted; and Yugi turned to her with those ever wide, curious eyes. She cursed herself for ever thinking something like that could happen. Besides, he still needed to apologise for letting their friendship devolve into what it was now.

"Anzu, I..." It seemed that the apology she'd been waiting for (and subsequent opportunity to lecture him and cry and so forth) was just on the horizon, when Honda flopped between them with an audible thump.  
"You guys..." He slurred, leaning his head back. "I am SO drunk."  
"I'm getting there." Anzu smirked, taking another sip. On the one hand, she saw Honda as her guardian angel for flopping in at just the right time to break the silence. But on the other hand, Yugi may have been just about to bring up what she needed to discuss most.  
"Holy shit, it's Yugi!!" For some reason, Honda had only just noticed him there. "JOU, YUGI IS HERE!"

And with those words, Yugi was swept away by a swarm of drunken old friends, and Anzu (yet again) was left alone.  
She took the opportunity to breathe easy and take in her surroundings. Over in the corner, her little round side table was stacked with crates and bottles; so much so that the light wooden legs were beginning to wobble under the weight. If anyone were to collapse onto it, it would definitely break. But it was just a table. On to the next thing.  
She took in the smells around her, and the sounds; thinking that maybe focusing on something else would put her in a calmer place when she decided what exactly she wanted to do about... him. A pleasant mix of nice perfumes and sweet spirits wafted through the air, thanks to the several puddles of drink that had been spilled on her floors. Luckily, she and Mai had packed away the rugs earlier, so it was nothing that a quick mop couldn't fix. The air was full of American house beats and warm laughter. It made Anzu feel better knowing that at least half of the people at this party were ones that she knew and cared for. It made her feel safe. And it was a startling realisation that Yugi being there didn't make her feel comfortable anymore. 

"Anzu." Mai had sat down next to her without her even realising. "Are you okay?"   
Those words were all she needed to collapse into the other girl's arms, her body heaving with quiet sobs.  
"He's here- and I- I don't even know what to do." She wailed; the combination of drink and emotions catching up to her. "I hardly recognise him anymore."  
Mai's heart ached for the poor girl. Sure, drunken sobbing was pretty much standard for at least a handful of guests at a college party, but there was such a sense of panic and sorrow in Anzu's voice. It made her want to simultaneously smack Yugi and never let go of her friend.   
"It's okay, chicken." Mai soothed, "we'll figure it out. Just try to calm down. It's okay."  
With a handful of short, calming statements, Anzu managed to dry her eyes.   
"My makeup must look awful." She let out a hoarse laugh through sniffles. "Bathroom?" And off they went. 

...   
Of course, Yugi had seen her cry.   
His heart sunk into the bottom of his shoes. Mai was completely right; he was an asshole, and had hurt Anzu more than he'd ever cared to consider. Through mindless conversations with several of his old friends, a fear settled in him that he might never have the chance to heal all the pain he'd caused her. It felt like falling into a deep hole. 

What he really needed was a smoke. He didn't smoke often; usually only when he needed an excuse to exit a situation. So, now.   
"Sorry guys, I need to step out for a bit. Need a smoke and some air. I'll catch you in a minute though, okay?" A nameless group of Domino graduates nodded and waved him off, and he gratefully rushed outside to heave a much needed breath. 

The night stretched out infinitely before him, from Anzu's little balcony. It occured to him that he'd never even visited this place before- a fact that entrenched him in deep sorrow as he stared up at the distant, glowing stars. They seemed so peaceful, each encapsulated in a soft halo of light. Home.   
But this place wasn't home to him. The buzz of traffic and the wafting scent of takeaway wasn't familiar like it was in Domino City. He felt foreign- uncomfortable. But seeing Anzu, or even picturing her face was enough to settle him. Maybe, if she was here, he could learn to call this balcony a home, too. 

The door swung open, and he was joined moments later by a friend that he truly needed.   
"Hey, Yuge." Jou nodded to his friend, moving to stand beside him on the balcony. "How are you feeling?"   
"Like dirt." He admitted in a blunt tone. Though he hadn't spoken to Jou in a while, he realised, he was still able to relax and tell the truth around him. Why couldn't he feel like that with her?   
"Aw, come on, man. You know Anzu's a sad drunk anyway." Jou put an arm around his shoulder. "Don't take it personal. From what I hear, college has been rough too."  
"It has? Why?" Yugi looked up, eyes wide.   
"Well..." Jou was on the brink of telling him. "Actually, no. You should ask her yourself. Mai's with her, in her room. If you ask her, and I'm not saying she'll say yes, but you might be able to score some alone time with her. Worth a shot, right?"   
He stubbed out his cigarette and left the butt on the railing. To be honest, he didn't have any idea what he was going to say to her. He had no excuses- only a handful of apologies that she'd be right to deny. And the more he seemed to try, the more dramatic and messy the situation became. But Jou was right. It was worth a shot. 

As he headed inside, the old friends shared a classic fistbump. At least some things had stayed the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, this story is turning into a TV soap. I promise it won't be all dramatic gestures; the setup is just more sad than I thought it would be, but I'm so excited to write some fluffy cute stuff if and when they make up. I may rewrite this chapter too; just wanted to put something out there to let everyone know I'm still here.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm going to be flat out; I don't have much confidence in my writing at all, and I'm half posting this because my notes app has a character limit. But I do admit, the idea of uploading my work somewhere to be remembered is sweet, so I thought maybe I could share it with people who might like to imagine our favourite cast all grown up. It's nothing special, but I hope you enjoyed the read nonetheless.
> 
> Thank you for acknowledging my work, and I hope to see you next time!


End file.
